DENVER – Temperatures are finally dropping in the Denver metro area, which is a good thing for our mountains but a bad thing for people who “puff” their vehicles during the winter months. That’s why the Denver Police Department is once again warning drivers against “puffing,” or leaving a car running while the driver is … Continued

Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) 2017 Sunset Review: The Colorado Auto Theft Prevention Authority and the Colorado Auto Theft Prevention Authority Board SUMMARY What is it? The Colorado Auto Theft Prevention Authority (CATPA) program was created by the General Assembly to enable law enforcement agencies or other qualified applicants to apply for grants to assist … Continued

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Megan Tobias, 303-832-2700 ext. 214 Carole Walker, Coloradans Against Auto Theft Chair, 303-790-0216 Twitter: @StopAutoTheftCO Facebook: @ColoradansAgainstAutoTheft If You Knew Where Auto Theft Ended, Would You Start Locking Your Car? An Average of 347 Vehicles are Stolen in Colorado Each Week. Coloradans Against Auto Theft’s New Campaign Reminds Drivers of the … Continued

Denver, Colo – One man is in custody and another on the run after entering a Denver home Tuesday morning using a key stolen from a puffer SUV.

Denver police said a black Yukon was stolen last Friday when it was left running outside a house on the 2700 block of South Depew Street. Then, just before 5 a.m. Tuesday, two men used a key likely from the stolen vehicle to enter the home.

Brighton, Colo – Police announced Saturday night they had arrested a 24-year-old man they believe drove a stolen Lexus into a patrol car while escaping and then stole a pickup after he crashed the first stolen car.

Cesar Irreza is being investigated for multiple possible violations, according to a Brighton police news release. The convicted car thief is on probation, according to court records.

A witness called police at 5:45 p.m. Friday after spotting a fugitive driving a stolen white Lexus near North 19th Avenue and Longs Peak Street in Brighton.

CAÑON CITY, Colo. — A vehicle stolen from a Colorado Springs homicide victim was found in Cañon City Tuesday, according to police.

Cañon City police said around 1:45 a.m. Tuesday, an officer spotted a “suspicious vehicle” in the parking lot of the Walmart. The officer tried to pull the vehicle over, but it left the area. Police investigated further and learned the vehicle was stolen, and was wanted in connection with a homicide investigation in Colorado Springs.

DENVER – Coloradans Against Auto Theft and Colorado Auto Theft Investigators once again teamed up for this year’s “Puffer Week.”

The week-long statewide awareness and enforcement push aims to educate the public about the risks, dangers and heightened crime associated with auto theft, specifically “puffers” – cars left running unattended.

DENVER (CBS4) – A man is searching for his dog that was stolen along with his van. He wanted to tell his story so that other people won’t leave their cars running, or “puffing,” when it’s cold.

Scott Hills has blanketed the area where his van was stolen with signs and pictures of his dog, Arrow. He’s offering a $100 reward just to get his dog back. He says the van isn’t even important to him — it’s Arrow that matters most.

DENVER – Three Denver schools briefly enacted security protocols while Denver Police searched the area for suspects who abandoned a stolen vehicle.

The car was dumped along South Sheridan Boulevard, south of West Yale Avenue. Officers believe the suspects left the vehicle and ran off on foot, Denver Police Spokesman Sonny Jackson explained at 8:20 a.m.

Jackson also said the stolen vehicle was a puffer, a car left running unattended — which is illegal.

It’s a frigid northern Colorado winter morning and the temperature hovers close to zero.

In order to give the seat warmers a chance to get nice and toasty, you turn on the car and walk back inside to drink the cinnamon mocha cappuccino brewing on the Keurig. Convenient, but you run the risk of returning to an empty driveway and tire tracks heading up the street and around the corner.

During the winter months many of us leave our keys in the car to warm up or because we are running inside for a quick moment. Experts say the number of cars stolen because of puffing increase this time of year. Carole Walker with Coloradans Against Auto Theft spoke with us about ways to keep your car protected from thieves.

Coloradans Against Auto Theft has launched a social media contest to raise awareness about the dangers of leaving running cars unattended.

They’re asking Coloradans to post a photo of how they warm up with their cars in the morning. It can be funny, sweet, or exciting. Participants are invited to enter by posting a photo to Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram using the hashtag #CarWarmUps, or going to CAAT’s Facebook page and uploading a photo. Organizers said all photos are vetted before being posted to the contest page.

On Nov. 19, Negri had stopped by a store to grab an energy drink. She kept her car running while she ran inside the store. That’s when a man jumped in her car and took off. Rosie was in the back seat at the time.

DES PLAINES, Ill., Nov. 19, 2014 — Car thieves don’t take a break for the holidays, according to new data released today by the National Insurance Crime Bureau. NICB’s 2013 Annual Holiday Vehicle Theft Report analyzes data from the National Crime Information Center (NCIC), which showed a total of 708,909 vehicle thefts for the year.

Thefts of tailgates are up near 33 percent from 2012 to 2013. That’s according to insurance claims during the last two years. The stolen tailgates are resold on the underground market as replacement parts, or they’re sold as scrap metal.

The Coloradans Against Auto Theft (CAAT) coalition recognizes National Auto Theft Prevention Month with a new Lockdown public awareness campaign empowering citizens to take an active role in protecting themselves and their communities from auto theft.

Wednesday morning’s wild police chase along three highways caused all kinds of problems for innocent drivers sharing the road. And while the incident was extremely rare, there is a lesson to be learned.

Although some of the season’s coldest weather may have passed, the Colorado State Patrol reminds motorists to avoid leaving their vehicles “puffing,” or running unattended, in their driveways or on the street. Last year, 11,304 vehicles were reported stolen in Colorado. Nearly 1,700 of the stolen vehicles were taken not by force, but while the vehicle was running with the keys in the ignition, unattended (puffing).

AURORA, Colo. – Police in Aurora are on puffer enforcement this frigid morning — and it didn’t take long for the operation to warm up. Within 15 minutes, four officers had found four cars left running unattended, the Aurora Police Department tweeted at 5:30 a.m. Read Full Story Here »

DENVER – Coloradans Against Auto Theft and Colorado Auto Theft Investigators once again teamed up for this year’s “Puffer Week,” slated for Jan. 27 through 31. The week-long statewide awareness and enforcement push aims to educate the public about the risks, dangers and heightened crime associated with auto theft, specifically “puffers” – cars left running unattended.

Coloradans Against Auto Theft (CAAT) and Colorado Auto Theft Investigators (CATI) once again teamed up for this year’s “Puffer Week,” slated for Jan. 27-31. The weeklong statewide awareness and enforcement push aims to educate the public about the risks, dangers and heightened crime associated with auto theft, specifically “puffers” – cars left running unattended.

VAIL — A New Year’s Day car theft has Vail Police reminding drivers to secure their vehicles. The incident happened at 8 a.m. that day, when a driver left her vehicle idling in a parking lot in West Vail.

About Lockdown

Coloradans Against Auto Theft is a coalition of law enforcement agencies, insurance partners, LoJack and AAA Colorado. CAAT and the state auto theft task force efforts are funded in part by the Colorado Auto Theft Prevention Authority (CATPA). CAAT was created to promote the cumulative statewide efforts in the prevention of auto theft.